Field of Cherry Blossoms
by snowwhitequeen30
Summary: The war had ended a year ago, and Kakashi achieved the highest rank he could as a ninja - Hokage. Despite his successes, he still felt as if something was missing. After accidentally coming across a silently sobbing Sakura, he begins to realize he wasn't the only one hiding the pain of loneliness. [Kakasaku].
1. Chapter 1 - Fake Smiles

**Prelude:**

I came from a small, unremarkable clan and became a medical ninja, whose expertise rivaled the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade.

I went from being teased for my looks, to being known as one of the most beautiful kunoichi in Konaha.

I went from being helpless and weak, to obtaining strength that could kill a man with one punch.

Despite all that I had achieved, I still didn't have the one thing I desired the most – Sasuke.

I had spent so many years fighting for his love. I was willing to die for him.

When the war ended and he returned to us, I thought this was it. I thought our relationship would finally begin, but he left me to be alone. Again.

I was broken until someone came along and showed me what true love really was.

My name is Haruno Sakura, and this is my story.

* * *

Kakashi let out a sigh as he walked through the streets of Konoha. It was a beautiful night, with the moon shining plenty of light for him to continue reading his favorite book, _Icha Icha Paradise._ It had been a year since the Fourth Great Ninja War had ended, and so much had changed since then. He was now the Hokage, Naruto was studying to become a Jonin, Sasuke was traveling to atone for his sins, and Sakura had become the Director of Medicine. Despite attaining the highest rank a ninja can receive, Kakashi still felt as if something was missing. He sighed as he flipped the page, perhaps he'll never fill the hole that had been made with the loss of his sensei, Obito, and Rin. He would probably never know true happiness until he met them again, on the other side.

He was quickly pulled from his thoughts at the sound of glass shattering. Kakashi's eyebrows furled when he realized the sound came from Sakura's apartment. Instinctively, he jumped to her window, ready to jump in and protect her, but he was stopped in his tracks when he saw her. She was on her knees, with tears streaming down her face. Her hand clenched the fabric in front of her heart, as her body shook from the silent sobs she refused to let out.

Kakashi knew Sakura would be embarrassed if she realized he had saw her like this. Pulling himself away from her window, he slowly made his way to the front door. Knocking quietly, he heard her swear under her breath, and a few moments later the sound of her footsteps approached the door. Sakura opened the door slightly, "Oh, Lord Hokage, what brings you by?" She offered up a bright smile, but the red eyes and puffy cheeks gave away that she had been crying.

"Please, no need for calling me Lord Hokage. Kakashi is fine," he placed his hand behind his head as he closed his eye, smiling sincerely. "I thought I heard shattering glass and wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Oh," Sakura dropped her guard a little, before putting on another fake smile, "it was nothing. I just tripped and dropped one of my mugs. Clumsy me." She let out a small laugh. If he had been anyone else, they probably would have bought the act, but Kakashi had known her for years now. He could tell she was faking. "Would you like to come in?"

His eyes widened slightly, not expecting her to be so welcoming after what he had seen, but he graciously accepted. Kakashi closed the door behind him, and followed her into the kitchen. A mug lay shattered on the ground, as if it had been pushed off the counter top. "Would you care for some tea?" Sakura asked quietly, as she dug through her cabinets.

"Yes, thank you," he responded. "How do you like your new apartment?"

"Much better than living at home, and it's nice being so close to the hospital." She cleaned up the shattered glass and took a seat across from him as the tea brewed, "it makes the walk home after a long shift a little more bearable." Sakura smiled lightly before letting out a giggle, as she rested her head in her hand.

"What's so funny?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows, wondering how it was so easy for her to be smiling and laughing, after the heart-wrenching scene he had seen moments before.

"It's just odd seeing you here in my apartment. It feels so informal compared to talking with you in the Hokage's office." It was true, it did feel odd sitting with her in this setting. With everyone traveling different paths in life, he only talked to Sakura when she came to his office to report on the hospital and the occasional missions she was assigned to.

"Does this help?" Kakashi playfully asked as he placed the Hokage's hat on his head. Sakura let out a genuine laugh and shook her head, as she rose to grab the tea.

They continued to talk for a little while, catching up on the things that had changed over the past year. Kakashi felt comfortable sitting with her, watching as she described Naruto's antics and how oblivious he was to Hinata's feelings. She described her work at the hospital, and he noticed the way her eyes lit up as she described her most recent research. The way she talked, the way she smiled – he never would have known the pain she was hiding, if he hadn't accidentally spied on her earlier that evening. _'What are you hiding, Sakura?'_

* * *

Sakura let out a tired sigh as she left the hospital and made her way back home. She had been working constantly the past couple weeks. Most nights she didn't make it home, and passed out at her desk instead. She probably would have passed out at her desk again if Ino hadn't angrily shooed her out of the hospital.

 _"Honestly Sakura-chan, it's not healthy to be working this much. Take a few days off. I'll handle things here." Ino's eyes were filled with concern, but after Sakura refused, the concern was quickly replaced with anger, "I'm done asking nicely, forehead! Don't make me bring Tsunade-sama into this."_

Sakura was snapped from her thoughts by a familiar voice, "Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!" She turned to see Naruto jogging up to her, waving his arms wildly to get her attention. His smile was infectious and she returned the smile, glad to see his childlike demeanor still hadn't changed. He placed his arm around her shoulder, "come on, let's go get some ramen. I'm starving!"

"I'm so tired, Naruto-kun. Maybe next time. Besides, aren't you just returning from a mission? Kakashi-sensei won't be happy if you don't report to him right away."

Naruto pursed his lips as he scratched behind his head, "ehh, Kakashi-sensei can wait. It was just some stupid diplomatic mission, nothing _that_ pressing." He returned his arm around Sakura's shoulder, "and I'm not taking no for an answer! I feel like we haven't had much time to catch up, Sakura-chan."

She looked up at him, exasperated. "Alright, but you're paying." Sakura teased, with an innocent smile on her face.

* * *

After a few bowls of ramen, Naruto paid the bill as promised and offered to walk Sakura home. "That's okay, Naruto. You better go report on your mission." He pouted slightly as he pulled her in for a hug.

She watched as he leapt off in the distance, a large smile plastered on her face. He was her best friend. It never mattered what hardships she went through, Naruto was there, always finding a way to bring a smile to her face. He just had that charm to him. It drew everyone to him, and she was proud to be his teammate, to be his best friend.

After a short walk, Sakura reached her apartment. She opened the door and paused, staring back at an empty apartment. There was no one to welcome her home, no pitter patter of feet, no smiling husband to ask about her day. She placed her back to the door, slowly sliding down until she hit the floor. This wasn't what she imagined. She thought she would be with Sasuke by now, but she hadn't heard from him since he left. Every time she saw his falcon carry in a message to Kakashi or Naruto, she would silently hope that there would be a message for her, or that he'd ask about her. But he never did, and each time it felt like a knife was being dug deeper and deeper into her heart. Haruno Sakura felt broken.


	2. Chapter 2 - Safe

"Come in." Kakashi looked up as Naruto entered his office, "ahh, Naruto. How did the mission go?"

Naruto stepped forward, handing Kakashi his report, "piece of cake! Come on, Kakashi-sensei, give me a real mission!" He clenched his fists in front of him, excited about the thought of another mission.

"You know I can't do that." Naruto sweat dropped. "I don't know how many more times I have to remind you that these diplomatic missions are meant to prepare you for becoming Hokage. You need to take them seri-"

He was cut off by a groan, "Ugh, Kakashi-sensei! Everyone already knows me, so what's the point, ya know?" Naruto crossed his arms across his chest, stubborn and clueless as usual. Kakashi put his head in his hands, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Too tired to deal with Naruto's antics, he dismissed him, "I'll look over your report. You may leave." As Naruto started to make his way to the door, a thought popped into Kakashi's head, "say Naruto, how is Sakura doing?"

"Hmm?" Naruto looked over his shoulder, "Oh, Sakura-chan, she is doing well! I just had dinner with her. She's always so busy with work that we barely get to catch up, I practically had to drag her to Ichiraku." He paused for a second, "ya know, come to think of it, she did look pretty tired and a little thin." Naruto put his hand up to his chin, "I wonder if she's not eating enough, she did almost eat as many bowls of ramen as me, which is pretty-" He kept rambling on, but Kakashi tuned him out.

 _'She looked tired and thin.'_ He had noticed that when he had talked to Sakura that night, but he chalked it up to her crying. He felt a twinge in his chest as he thought about her shoulders heaving up and down in silent sobs. No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't get that thought out of his head. "Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he had been ignoring Naruto.

"Oh, uh, just curious if you had seen her lately. It's been a while since we've talked." Kakashi smiled, placing his hand behind his head, hoping Naruto wouldn't notice that he had completely stopped listening to him.

Naruto smiled as he headed for the door, "you should go see her, Kakashi-sensei! I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Kakashi stared at the closed door for a moment. "Maybe I should invite her for tea?" He thought to himself. He rose from his seat to head home, but was interrupted by a soft tapping on the window. Looking over his shoulder, he realized it was Sasuke's falcon. He opened the window, and pulled the scroll from the falcon's leg:

 ** _Strange attacks happening outside of Sunagakure and reports of shinobi missing._**

 ** _Going to investigate the disappearances._**

 ** _-Sasuke_**

Kakashi shook his head, "short and brief as always, Sasuke." He placed the letter on his desk, before heading out.

He had already heard rumors of the missing shinobi, and confirmed the reports with Gaara. Shikamaru and a team had been dispatched that morning to Sunagakure to assist in the investigation. A smile spread across his lips as he was sure a certain Suna kunoichi would be happy to see Shikamaru. He had spotted her occasional blushing and peeking quick glances at Shikamaru the last time she visited, but he remained completely oblivious. As smart as he was, he had the intelligence of Naruto when it came to women. Kakashi let out a small laugh.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei."

He turned towards the quiet voice, realizing it was Sakura. She was sitting alone on a bench, the shadows from the clouds covering most of her face. "Oh, Sakura. What are you doing out so late?" The clouds slowly moved, and Kakashi could see the slight tinge of red in her eyes. He felt a sudden ache in his heart.

"That was _his_ falcon, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Has he asked about me?" She didn't try to fake a smile, she didn't try to hide the fact that she had been crying. She seemed so fragile, so broken. The ache in his chest intensified, he hated seeing her like this.

"Sakura, I-"

"It's okay. Your pause told me what I needed to know." Her eyes dropped back down to her lap.

Without thinking, he quickly sat beside her and pulled her to his chest. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he whispered, as her tears began to soak through his shirt. Placing a hand on her arm, he rubbed it reassuringly. Teary eyed, she looked up at him. ' _She is beautiful.'_ He tensed at the thought. What was he thinking? She was his student, he was considerably older than her and she was in love with another man.

As if sensing the tension, Sakura quickly stood, "I-I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I didn't mean to burden you with my problems." And before he could stop her, she disappeared.

* * *

Sakura needed to clear her head. The loneliness of her apartment was weighing on her, and maybe a walk would relieve the heaviness she felt in her chest.

Stepping outside, she took a deep breath. Dinner with Naruto had been nice, it took her mind off her troubles. ' _Maybe I should make more time to meet with my friends._ ' She thought absentmindedly as she headed towards the center of the village, taking in the quietness of the night. It really was peaceful.

Gazing up at the sky to admire the stars, she saw a dark shadow fly overhead. A falcon, Sasuke's falcon. Her heart began to race and she ran towards the falcon, but it kept on flying, straight to the Hokage's tower. She didn't know why she got excited. It had been a year and Sasuke hadn't acknowledged her since he left. The pain came back all at once. Sakura sat down on the nearest bench, trying to stifle her tears. She wasn't in the confines of her home, and didn't want anyone to see her this way.

 _'Things never change. I fought so hard to be able to stand beside him and Naruto, to show that I wasn't just some annoying, worthless kunoichi. Why didn't he take me with him?'_ She was snapped from her thoughts when she heard a small laugh.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei." He was lazily walking her way, clearly lost in his thoughts. _'Damn, damn, damn!'_ She didn't want him to see her like this, but his laugh had caught her so off-guard that she blurted out his name without thinking. She didn't want Kakashi to see her like this. She knew he had seen her cry many times before, but this was different. Sakura was a hero now, one of the legendary shinobi that helped save the world. What would he think if he came across her like this?

"Oh, Sakura. What are you doing out so late?"

Before she could even stop herself, she asked, "that was _his_ falcon, wasn't it?"

"Yes." He simply replied.

Hot tears stung at her eyes, "has he asked about me?"

"Sakura, I-"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "Your pause told me what I needed to know." Sakura dropped her head down, scared to look up and see the look on his face. Would it be disappointment? Disgust at her weakness? She felt helpless and weak, nothing had changed. Tears began to flow freely from her eyes, and before she could register what was happening, Kakashi had pulled her onto his chest.

His hand wrapped around her arm, "I'm sorry, Sakura." His presence felt so calming, it felt right. Her breath caught. Why did this feel so different from all the other times Kakashi had comforted her? She turned to look up at him, and she felt as if her heart skipped a beat. He was looking down at her, with a softness in his eye that she had never seen before. ' _What is happening?'_ She felt his body tense suddenly. ' _Oh no, no, no. Did he sense that her heart was racing?'_

She jumped up quickly, "I-I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I didn't mean to bother you with my problems." Before he could even respond, she was gone.

Running towards her apartment, she could feel her face flush. ' _Why did it feel so right in his arms?_ ' He was her sensei, her teacher. Tears stung her eyes once again, he made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time – safe.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Selfless Act

**Authors Note:** This is my first time writing fan fiction, and after reading a few KakaSaku stories, I wanted to write something that explored the early stages of Kakashi and Sakura's relationship. I will lightly follow some of the events that took place after the war, but I plan on twisting them to fit the plot of the story. I hope you enjoy!

Also, for reference later on, the meaning of a pink carnation is, "I will never forget you."

* * *

Kakashi sat at his desk, blankly staring forward as he listened to the team in front of him report on their mission. It had been a simple D-rank escort mission, nothing of utmost importance, so he let his mind wander. Weeks had passed since he held Sakura that night on the bench. The thought of her teary-eyed face staring up at him caused his pulse to quicken. He wanted to see her again, he realized, as a strange longing he hadn't felt in many years took over. He had tried to bury that feeling repeatedly, but it was no use – Sakura had awoken something within him.

He stood abruptly, catching the team in front of him off guard, "thank you for your report, but I just remembered that I have to be somewhere. I'll reach out to you when I have the details of your next mission." Bowing before him, the shinobi left and Kakashi made his way to the academy. He needed to relieve some tension, and what better way than a sparring match?

Feeling out the familiar chakra, he quickly slid open one of the study room doors, catching a certain blonde hair, blue eyed shinobi in a nap, "Naruto!" Naruto's head snapped up from his book, drool running down the side of his face.

"Uh, Kakashi-sensei! I was just practicing this new jutsu, ya know?" He rubbed his finger under his nose as a tired grin spread across his face, "I make it look like I'm napping to catch the enemy off guard!"

"And the drooling is to make it look more authentic?"

"Of course! Gotta make it seem real, ya know!" Naruto chimed, as he tried to quickly wipe the saliva from his cheek.

"Come on, Naruto. I need to get some training in today," Kakashi let out with a sigh.

"Finally, I've been stuck in the stuffy room all day!" Naruto leapt from his chair, walking side by side with Kakashi as they made their way to the training grounds.

Naruto chatted away, excitedly describing a range of things from the new instant ramen he had tried the other day, to a new jutsu he was working on. Kakashi offered him the occasional one worded response, but spent most of his time lazily looking around, observing the villagers. Occasionally, someone would stop to talk, excited to see the Hokage and the Hero of the Hidden Leaf.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto suddenly called out as they turned a corner, "Sakura-chan!"

Sakura's and Hinata were sitting outside, enjoying some anko dumplings. The sound of Naruto calling out Hinata's name had caused her face to turn a light shade of pink, which became increasingly red as he approached. Sakura, who had her back turned, noticed Hinata's embarrassment and turned, letting out a small giggle, "Naruto-kun!"

Her smile faltered however, when she saw Kakashi approaching behind him. It was only for a split-second, but it was enough time for him to notice. "Lord Hokage, nice to see you again." She bowed her head slightly, only briefly making eye contact. A slight tinge of red reached her cheeks, _'is she nervous?'_ The thought brought a smirk to his face.

"Sakura, Hinata, nice to see both of you." He bowed his head slightly to each of the kunoichi.

"We're going down to the training grounds to get a little training in, you guys want to join?" Naruto beamed, as he clasped both of his hands behind his head.

"Sorry Naruto, we're meeting with Ino after this to do a little shopping. Maybe next time?"

Naruto's shoulders instantly slumped, "aw, man."

Kakashi laughed at Naruto's reaction, and placed a hand on his shoulder, pushing him along, "come on, Naruto. Let the ladies enjoy their night."

"Bye, Naruto-kun, Lord Hokage." Hinata mumbled at their retreating figures.

After taking a few steps, he peeked across his shoulder. Light grey eyes locked when soft green eyes and for a few passing moments, he saw nobody but her.

* * *

 _She was running wildly through the trees. 'Think, Sakura. Think!' She knew she didn't have much time before he caught up to her. He had always been quicker than her, and she felt his chakra getting closer and closer. He was going to catch her, and the only thing she could do was stand and fight._

 _Turning, Sakura prepared herself, but just the sight of him made her freeze. So many emotions poured out, "Sasuke, please!" but her cries went unheard._

 _"Chidori!" All she could do was stand there, as the lightening radiating from Sasuke's hand approached her, inches from piercing her chest,_

Sakura suddenly jolted awake, soaked in sweat. It had felt so real, much like the time she was caught in his genjutsu. _'It was only a nightmare, it was only a nightmare.'_ She repeated to herself, as she curled up and tried to sleep once again.

* * *

"I guess I should be going now, Rin." Kakashi stood, slowly placing a single pink carnation on her grave. No matter how busy his schedule became, he always made sure to visit Nohara Rin and Uchiha Obito's graves, describing his work days to them, and ensuring their grave sites remained pristine. His visits with them brought a mixture of pain and peace. It took him many years, but he had come to terms with Rin's decision to die. Her Will of Fire refused to let her be the destruction of the village she loved, and so she chose to die by the hand of the boy she loved – Kakashi.

He turned a sad smile towards the sky, ' _I'm sure you're enjoying your one-on-one time with her, Obito.'_

His thoughts had been heavy the past few days. Nara Shikamaru had returned from Sunagakure, with news that more people had been kidnapped from each of the five great shinobi nations. None of the Kage could surmise who was behind the disappearances, but they unanimously agreed that an attack was most likely eminent. In preparation, Kakashi had placed greater barriers around the village and ordered Anbu to watch carefully for suspicious behavior. That was about the extent of what he could do, as Sasuke and the other nations continued their investigations.

Kakashi continued his leisurely walk, with his face buried in _Icha Icha Tactics,_ Jiraiya's last book. After a short while, he finally arrived at his destination. Knocking on the door, he was greeted by a surprised Sakura. "Kakashi?" She was dressed in a red, sleeveless qipao top with light-colored pants. The top exposed the lower half of her belly, showing off her toned abdomen. "What brings you by?" She asked inquisitively.

"I was just passing by and wanted to see if you'd like to join me for a drink." Kakashi's eye closed, a nervous smile crossing his face.

"A drink?" Sakura blinked a few times, "you do realize it's 10:30 in the morning?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, "it's never too early for a drink. I would have thought Lady Tsunade taught you that."

Sakura placed her hands on her hips, "honestly, I feel like I'm the adult when it comes to you two. You're pervy books," Kakashi sweat dropped, "Lady Tsunade's gambling, and your- "

"Hey, now!" Kakashi interrupted, "is that anyway to talk to your _Hokage_?" He teased.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura grabbed her heels and joined Kakashi outside. "Well, where did you have in mind?"

"There's a quiet little place near my residence, we can go there if you'd like? They usually give me a private room in the back."

"Still don't want anyone to see what's under that mask, huh?" She mumbled, in a rather grumpy tone.

He laughed at her instant mood change. Her and Naruto had tried many times to see his unmasked face, but he easily thwarted each plot. They came close once, when they included Shikamaru. Kakashi had never expected him to participate in their antics, and it caught him quite off guard. "I have to give you and Naruto something to do, now don't I?" Sakura glared daggers his way, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He stated as he put his hands up in defense, fearing the strength behind her punches if he riled her up enough.

"What's the matter? Is the _Hokage_ scared of getting pummeled?" She giggled, noticing his defensive stance.

"I've seen what Sai and Naruto look like after you get a good punch in. No need for me to risk the same." They both laughed, and continued casually chatting as they made their way to the bar. Kakashi listened as she described how things were going at work, and he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Normally he would be passively listening, while reading his book, or observing the village, but he was drawn to her. She was a full-grown woman now, known as a world-renowned medical ninja. Sakura was both loved and feared. The same hands that she used to save lives, could also deal a deathly punch. She was full of compassion, and unconditional love- much like Rin.

Kakashi's felt his chest tighten. Was this why he was so drawn to her? Was this why he felt so protective of her? The thought dwelled in the back of his mind, "so, what made you invite _me_ out for drinks, Kakashi?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a curious Sakura, staring at him from across the table. "Oh, I just wanted to check in, and see how you were." He stated, without thinking of how Sakura would take his response.

Her eyes dropped to her drink, "I'm fine, Kakashi. I really am."

"Sakura," he hesitated, "that wasn't the only reason I invited you. That night reminded me of something important." Her eyes locked on to his, "with the schedules we have, and the responsibilities we face, it's easy to get caught up in all of it. It's too easy to not make time for the ones we care about. When we reach our lowest points in life, our friends are the ones to build us up. They help us feel whole again, and if you ever need a friend to talk to, my door is always open, Sakura."

* * *

"my door is always open, Sakura." She stared back at Kakashi, feeling her eyes begin to water. So many thoughts and emotions were racing through her.

"Kakashi," she smiled through her tears, "thank you." She reached for her sake, taking a big gulp. "I thought things would be so different by now." He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. His eyes weren't filled with their normal relaxed look, and she suddenly became self-conscious under his stare, "it's just, it's just that," she stuttered, "I thought he would be home, I thought we would be together by now." The words came tumbling out, and she quickly put her hands to her mouth, "Oh no, I'm sorry! I can't believe I just complained about my love life to the Hokage." She placed her head in her hands. "I'm sure you have much better things to deal with."

 _'Honestly, Sakura. How embarrassing!'_ Before she could continue her thoughts, she felt his hands grab onto hers, pulling them down from her face. "Sakura, I'm your friend. As I said before, you can always talk to me."

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She looked down to her hands that were clasped into his own. Sakura could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, why was he making her feel this way? "Kakashi, I- "

"Lord Hokage!" Sakura pulled her hands back, startled by the sudden intrusion, "the barrier has been breached!"

A sudden explosion shook the ground, "Sakura, go! I must send word to the other Kage!"

Sakura stood, exchanging one last glance with Kakashi before he disappeared. Within seconds she was at the scene of the explosion. Ino and Hinata were helping one of the injured shinobi, as Naruto and Sai confronted the enemy who was slowly approaching the village.

"What's going on?!" Sakura ran to help Kamizuki Izumo, who had been knocked into a wall.

"They- They exploded." Shikamaru and Choji were now standing by his side, listening intently, "We tried to stop them, but shortly after my shuriken hit him, his skin began to react and he exploded." Izumo inhaled sharply, wincing from the pain.

"Relax and stay still. I'm going to have to set these broken bones."

"Naruto, no!" Shikamaru yelled out. Naruto's kunai flew right at the approaching enemy, slicing him on the cheek.

"Tadaichi!" Ino screamed, recognizing him as one of the missing villagers. They watched in horror as his skin began to bubble, reacting to the cut.

"Everyone get back! Choji, use Butterfly mode to blow away the blast!" Shikamaru started barking orders.

Sakura placed herself in front of Izumo, to protect him from the blast, "hold on, Izumo!"

"Lady Sakura, please. Protect yourself!" But before he could object any further, Choji had managed to successfully blow the explosion away before it could reach them. Sakura continued healing his wounds, her heart breaking as she heard the quiet whimpers from Ino.

"No way!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura quickly turned to see what had gotten Naruto's attention. Around a dozen more people started to slowly walk out of the woods, approaching the village. "Those are the missing villagers!" Sakura yelled, "is this some sort of genjutsu?"

"Byakugan!" Hinata scanned the area, "I don't see anybody controlling them, but I do see foreign chakra running through their bodies."

"We need to immobilize them now, before they get into the village." Shikamaru paused, trying to think of a way to stop them, without causing them to explode, "Hinata! I'm going to stop them with my Shadow Imitation Technique. Can you disable them from there?"

Hinata nodded as they sprang into action. Shadows reached out from Shikamaru's feet, immobilizing the missing villagers. Hinata soon followed, hitting their chakra points, while being careful not to puncture their skin.

Shikamaru's plan worked and the immediate threat to the village had been stopped. Naruto stood over one of the villagers, waving his arms in front of their face. "Hello? Hey! Can you hear me?"

"That's not going to work, Naruto." Sakura stated as she knelt and placed her hand on the same villagers' forehead. Bringing two fingers to her face, she yelled, "release!" But nothing happened. "It definitely isn't a genjutsu," she thought aloud.

"We need to get them away from the village entrance and monitor them until we can figure out what's going on. It's too much of a risk to keep them here." Shikamaru turned and started organizing a group of shinobi, and after a few hours, they had transported the threat a safe distance away.

Time passed, and they still were unsure of the cause. Ino's attempt at using her Mind Body Switch Technique had failed, causing her to lose consciousness. Sai offered to take her to the hospital, while Naruto had gone to report to Kakashi. Sakura and two of her assistants were carefully monitoring the bodies, as they worked on extracting the foreign chakra from the first patient. She was working slowly, knowing the slightest mistake could possibly kill them all.

"Sakura-sama!" One of her assistants cried out. Sakura turned to see that one of the patients had accidentally become cut and began to bubble. She had to get him far away. If he exploded here, everyone would die.

Reacting quickly, she grabbed him and jumped as high as she could. Sakura gathered all her chakra, and threw him, but she was too late.

Only making it a few yards away, he exploded. Sakura quickly raised her arms up to shield her face, but seconds later, the blast hit her. She couldn't move, and her body began falling through the sky. She struggled to open her eyes, but caught a glimpse of Naruto barreling towards her. He was yelling frantically, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. All she heard was ringing in her ears. _'Is this it?'_ She thought, as everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4 - Numb

**Authors Note:** Chapter One updated to include new prelude. (7/16/2017)

* * *

"Sakura!" Naruto's screamed, as he watched her lifeless body fall from the sky. "Kurama!" He activated Kurama mode, extending his chakra to catch Sakura before she hit the ground. Pulling her to his chest, he cradled her in his arms trying to get her to wake up, but it was no use. "Sakura, please." Tears mixed with blood, "please don't go."

* * *

Kakashi burst into the hospital. _'Please, let her be okay.'_ He could hear Tsunade yelling orders to the nurses, as they frantically ran around grabbing supplies. Following the sound of her voice, he turned the corner to find Naruto, covered in blood. Tears streamed down Naruto's face as he stared down at his shaky hands. Sai, Shikamaru, and Hinata stood close by, wiping tears from their faces.

"Sakura!" Kakashi ran into the operating room.

"Not now, Kakashi!" Tsunade spat.

Shizune ran up to him, trying to push him out of the way. He knew she was talking to him, but his mind couldn't register what she was saying. Sakura's unresponsive body lay there, unmoving. Blood covered the sheets and had matted her hair to her face. The blast had blown away parts of her skin, exposing the bones in her arms and legs. Her body was so pale.

Tears pricked his eyes. ' _This can't be happening.'_ Anger built inside him. _'Why wasn't I there?!'_ His fist slammed through the wall behind him. The bones in his fist gave out from the sudden impact, but he felt nothing. Within seconds, hands grabbed onto his shoulder, pulling him from the room.

"Kakashi, now's not the time! If we want Sakura to have a fighting chance, we need Tsunade to do her work, uninterrupted." Shikamaru firmly grasped Kakashi's shoulders.

"What happened?" He growled.

"She saved us and the missing villagers. One of them was going to explode, killing everyone in the vicinity, and she sacrificed herself to get the explosion away from us." Tears fell freely from his face.

Kakashi felt the strength leave his body as he fell to his knees in disbelief. _'Sakura, please hang in there.'_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to get some rest? I can stay here with her."

"No, I can't leave her side." A tired, broken voice croaked back.

 _'Naruto?'_ Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the sudden light.

Sakura looked in the direction she had heard his voice, "Naruto?" Her voice was weak, barely more than a whisper. Naruto stared back at her stunned, with a mixture of excitement and sadness in his eyes. His hand was clasped tightly around Hinata's, "so, you finally figured it out, ya big idiot." Sakura smiled softly, as a faint blush rose to Hinata's cheeks.

"Sakura!" Naruto's eyes welled with tears. He looked awful, like he hadn't slept or ate for days.

Sakura tried to sit up, but pain shot through her body. The pained expression on her face must have startled Naruto because he was by her side in seconds, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Don't push yourself, Sakura. You need to stay still and get some rest."

She glanced down at her bandaged arm, "did I save them?" Naruto nodded. "Did you find who was responsible for the exploding villagers?"

Naruto grabbed her hand, "all of that was taken care of and we can talk about that later. I'm just so glad you're awake, Sakura."

"How long have I been out?"

"It's been nine days." ' _At least it wasn't months or years.'_ She thought to herself.

"I'll let Lady Tsunade know you're awake." Hinata quietly excused herself.

Naruto's eyes followed Hinata as she left. "Sakura, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." He squeezed her hand lightly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It was my choice, and I would do it again if it meant saving them."

"I thought I was going to lose you." Naruto's voice was hoarse.

"I'm not going anywhere, Naruto. I promised you I'd be there the day you become the Hokage." She smirked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Sakura!" Ino's yell could be heard in the distance. The sound of her footsteps was fast approaching, "Sakura." A frantic Ino pulled back the curtain around Sakura's bed. She stood there momentarily speechless, "I'm so glad you're okay!"

The sight of her panicked friend brought tears to her eyes. Naruto squeezed her hand reassuringly, as Ino took a seat by Sakura's side, "How do you feel?"

"I feel weak, but I'll be okay." Sakura smiled through her tears, not wanting to worry her friend anymore. In all reality, her body ached horribly and she felt exhausted. Her head felt foggy and in the few moments since she had been awake, she found herself having trouble thinking clearly.

"Alright you two, give me a few moments with Sakura." Lady Tsunade suddenly appeared. Naruto and Ino gave their quick goodbyes.

She began to check Sakura's vitals, "How are you _really_ feeling?" Tsunade must have heard her lie to Ino.

"Very weak. My entire body is aching. I tried to sit up earlier, but the pain was excruciating."

Tsunade looked at her with a stern face, "Why didn't you use the Strength of a Hundred Seal, Sakura? This could have all been avoided." A hint of anger in her voice.

Sakura looked away, ashamed, "it all happened so fast. I thought I had more time. I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade."

"We were all so afraid of losing you." Her voice cracked. Tsunade coughed, trying to regain her composure, "the good news is, Katsuyu and I were able to heal most of your wounds. The issue was that the blast had placed you into a coma, in which you had to come out of yourself. Now that you're awake, you can use the Mitotic Regeneration to finish the healing process."

Sakura stared back at her, dumbfounded. The explosion must have really affected her ability to think clearly. It was so obvious and simple, but she hadn't even thought of it.

"Whenever you're ready, release the seal."

Sakura nodded. _Ninja Art! Mitotic Regeneration!_

She suddenly felt the stored chakra surge through her body. It was instant relief. Her tired body started to feel strength return, and she slowly lifted herself up, "Incredible. I feel a hundred times better."

Tsunade smirked, "it is my jutsu after all." She began pulling back the bandages, ensuring the healing was complete. Tsunade shook her head, "that was a brave thing you did. I will always be proud that you are my disciple, Sakura. You've grown into an amazing woman, and I know you'll surpass me in no time."

 _'If I'm so amazing, why hasn't he returned to me?'_ Sakura frowned at her thoughts, "Sensei, while I was in a coma, did Sasuke write to ask about me? Did he say he would return?"

Tsunade's brows furled as she turned a glare towards the door. Sakura noticed this, but before she could question her, Tsunade started to speak, "not that I know of, but, you should know that Sasuke was responsible for discovering who was behind the missing villagers and he managed to help them see the error in their ways. He changed their hearts, much like Naruto."

She thought she would be sad, but she felt happy to know that he was out there, protecting the village from afar. "He's protecting the village, kind of like the Leaf Police Force." Sakura looked out the window, a small smile on her face. _'Is he going to return now that the threat is over?'_

* * *

Kakashi stood outside of Sakura's hospital room. Ino had used her Mind Transmission Jutsu to let him know that Sakura was finally awake. He had left his office immediately to see her, however, she was currently with Lady Tsunade and he didn't want to interrupt.

"..you've grown into an amazing woman, and I know you'll surpass me in no time."

"Sensei, while I was in a coma, did Sasuke write to ask about me? Did he say he would return?" The mention of Sasuke's name caused a sudden wave of anger to rush over him. _'Shit.'_ His chakra signature had spiked. He knew Tsunade had to be aware of his eavesdropping now.

She didn't call out to him though, and continued her conversation with Sakura for a few minutes, before excusing herself. ' _Here it comes.'_ Kakashi prepared himself, as an angry Tsunade emerged from the room, grabbing him by the collar. "Why did your chakra signature spike at the mention of Sasuke's name? What are you hiding?" She whispered angrily.

Kakashi didn't try to break from her grip. He knew it'd be futile. Her and Sakura were women of superhuman strength. "After the threat was over, I had asked Sasuke to return to the village to see Sakura. I explained that she was in a coma and that we weren't sure if or when she would wake up. But Sasuke refused. He said he had more pressing matters."

Tsunade clenched her fists, "that idiot. Sakura has stuck her neck out for him, fighting tooth and nail for his love, even after he tried to kill her. He doesn't deserve her love."

Kakashi looked down to his feet, _'I wonder if she'll ever realize she deserves better._ '

* * *

Sakura stood on the other side of the door, speechless. She had thought Tsunade's glare towards the door was a little odd, and she had decided to peak into the hallway once she left. However, she stopped at the door when she heard Tsunade's hushed whispers.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she heard next, "Sasuke refused. He said he had more pressing matters"

 _'He's not returning after all. Do I mean nothing to him?'_

"He doesn't deserve her love." Sakura felt a chill run through her body. So many thoughts raced through her mind, and she suddenly felt suffocated by her hospital room. She needed fresh air. Without thinking, she raced to the window, pulling her body through and bounding off into the darkness. Sakura didn't know where she was going. She just needed to get away.


	5. Chapter 5 - Support

**_*Flashback: Six days into Sakura's coma*_**

Kakashi looked up from his book and glanced at Sakura. She laid there, unmoving, with a peaceful look on her face. Her condition was stable, but Tsunade didn't know when she would come out of her coma. Naruto sat on the other side of her, trying to study, but Kakashi had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't remember any of it. He himself could barely register the words he was reading. Almost losing another teammate brought back dark feelings he thought he had locked away many years ago.

 _Rip!_ Sai tore his drawing from his notepad, tossing it into the trash. Without pausing, he began to draw again.

This was their routine now. Naruto stayed by Sakura's side, day and night, refusing to leave. He wanted to be by her side when she woke up.

After Ino recovered, Sai spent his days drawing quietly in Sakura's room, and Kakashi would come at night after work. He would read quietly for a few hours, before falling asleep on the floor next to her bed.

Ino would stop by during her breaks, sitting quietly with Sai and Naruto, and after each shift, she would bring fresh flowers for Sakura's bedside. Hinata also stopped by daily, bringing food and drinks for Sai and Naruto.

Apparently, a nosey nurse had walked by a few days prior, spotting Naruto and Hinata holding hands. News spread like wildfire that they were together, but Hinata denied the rumors, stating she had only been comforting a friend. Even though Kakashi believed she was telling the truth, he had a gut feeling that they would be together soon, and his gut feelings were usually right.

Kakashi closed his book with a sigh. There was no use in trying, he couldn't concentrate. Reaching over, he brushed back park of Sakura's hair, exposing the violet rhombus on her forehead. His hand slid down and cupped the side of her face, but he pulled it back quickly, noticing Naruto watching him from the corner of his eye.

His heart ached to see her soft green eyes once again.

"Good night, Sakura."

* * *

 *** _Present day*_**

"It's best not to tell Sakura about this."

Kakashi nodded to Tsunade in understanding, as he opened the door. He approached Sakura's bed, expecting her to be there when he pulled back the curtain, but her bed was empty. "Sakura?" His eyes scanned the room before stopping at the open window. _'Damnit, she must have overheard our conversation.'_ He tried to sense her chakra, but she was nowhere to be found. She was a master of chakra control after all, and her chakra could only be sensed if she wanted her presence to be known.

Raising his hand to his mouth, he bit down until he drew blood.

 _Summoning Jutsu!_

Kakashi slammed his palm onto the ground, and moments later his pack of ninken appeared before him.

"Ahh, Kakashi. What can we do for you?"

"Sakura has run off and I can't sense her chakra. I need you guys to pick up her scent."

"Sakura? But why would she run off?" Pakkun sounded puzzled.

"I will explain on the way; did you find her trail?"

He nodded, "it seems like she went North."

They quickly leapt from the hospital window, making their way across the rooftops.

When they reached the forest, he explained the situation to the pack.

"That poor girl. Heart of gold that's always left broken." Pakkun remarked quietly.

They continued their pursuit, bounding from branch to branch. A part of Kakashi wondered if he should even be tracking her down right now. Would she want to be alone? But he was afraid of her doing something reckless, or ending up injured. He knew he had to find her.

"We're getting close." Pakkun looked behind him, "and from the smell of it, Naruto is not too far behind."

They reached a clearing in the trees, and Kakashi spotted her pink hair in the distance. She had run to the Valley of the End. Her back was turned to them, as she sat on the edge of the cliff. The same spot her and Kakashi had landed after the Fourth Great Shinobi War, only to look down and find Naruto and Sasuke's bloody bodies below. Her eyes were staring down at that very spot.

Naruto suddenly appeared beside Kakashi, "sensei, what's going on?" His eyes followed Kakashi's gaze, "Sakura!" Naruto leapt towards her.

"Thank you, you guys can go now." His ninken nodded, and disappeared.

Kakashi caught up to Naruto as they got closer to Sakura. Naruto called out to her again, and she glanced at them over her shoulder.

Her eyes seemed different. They seemed empty.

Naruto sat beside her, "Sakura, what's going on?"

She looked back down towards the unison sign the fallen statues had formed, "I overheard you, Kakashi."

Naruto looked back towards him, groaning in frustration, "You heard what? What's going on, Sensei! What did you say?!"

"Naruto." Sakura placed her hand on his leg, bringing his attention back to her. "It's not like that; he tried to give me what I've desired the most all these years." Naruto's lips pursed. "He tried to bring Sasuke back to me. Back to us."

"What do you mean _tried_?"

Kakashi stood quietly, his eyes stayed firmly on Sakura.

"Sasuke knew I was in a coma, that my life was in danger. But when Kakashi requested he come back, he refused to come back for me."

"Sakura, I'm sure there's a reason. I'm sure he would have come back if he could."

"It's been over a year, and he hasn't written once or asked about me. If he had the slightest fondness towards me, don't you think he would have wrote to me by now? We may have brought him back from darkness, but it was foolish of me to think he'd return my love."

"He does love- "

She cut him off, "I've been lonely and miserable for so many years, Naruto. Chasing after someone who crushed my heart repeatedly. I thought my love could save him, but it was your bond that saved him." She paused, "I don't think I can do this anymore. I don't think I can keep waiting, Naruto." Her voice was shaky, as she tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill.

"Sakura," Naruto pulled her close, "I just want you to be happy." She rested her head on his shoulder as they stared quietly at the waterfall.

A small frown spread across Kakashi's face. He knew just how hard she had fought for Sasuke, and the pain of letting go was never easy. It was sometimes impossible. But she didn't have to deal with this pain alone.

"Sakura," the sound of his voice startled them, as if the forgot he was there. "I think there's something back in the village that you should see."

* * *

Sakura stood at her front door, unsure of what was waiting on the other side. Kakashi and Naruto stood behind her, waiting patiently. When Kakashi had told her that there was something she needed to see, she didn't know what to expect, but she definitely didn't expect to come back to her own apartment.

Walking into her apartment, she flipped the switch. There was nothing. Her hallway and living room looked the same as always. Arching her brow, she side-eyed Naruto and Kakashi. ' _What are they up to?'_

Kakashi nodded his head forward, silently telling her to keep moving.

Following the direction of his nod, she turned the corner. Instantly gasping, as she brought her hand to her mouth, "what is this?"

Flowers, gifts, cards and balloons filled every surface of her living room.

"These are all for you!" Naruto beamed at her.

"For _me_?" The words were barely above a whisper.

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, "when people heard what had happened, they tried pouring into the hospital to bring you gifts. It got to be so many that Tsunade had to turn them away, only letting close friends in, but we gathered all of the gifts and brought them here, for you."

"At one point or another, you've pretty much healed and saved everybody in this village, ya know!"

Her shaky hands reached down to the drawing next to her. A pink-haired stick figure with a smile on its face stared back at her. The words, ' _Get well soon!'_ were scribbled in messy handwriting. A child's handwriting.

She turned quickly and pulled Kakashi into a warm embrace. Her heart felt as if it was going to explode, _'how could I have felt so lonely all these years, when I've been surrounded by so much love and support?'_


	6. Chapter 6 - Blossoming

Sakura sat quietly, staring out her window at the sunrise. The aroma of her coffee drifted to her nose, as she took a deep breath to take it all in. It had been five days since she had awoken from her coma. Tsunade had ordered her to take two weeks off, and while she did enjoy the break, she desperately wanted to get back to her old routine.

Visitors stopped by throughout the day, bringing her food and asking how she was doing. She enjoyed the company, especially the children. They were so innocent and full of life. Sakura silently wished they could stay that way forever, but at some point, the harsh realities of life would come crashing down on them. The same way it did with Naruto, Sasuke, and her. She wondered if there was anything that could have been done to help Naruto and Sasuke at such an early age.

 _'What if they had someone they could talk to?'_

She took a sip of her coffee, mulling over her thoughts. There had to be something she could do.

Sakura spent the rest of her day at home, with visitors stopping by periodically and before she knew it, it was dinner time.

Humming to herself, she packed a dinner for two and made her way through the village, occasionally stopping to say hello.

Walking up a very familiar set of stairs, she knocked quietly.

"Enter." A voice called from the other side of the door.

Sakura walked in, holding up the dinner she had brought, "I figured you hadn't ate yet, so I decided to bring you your favorite, miso soup with eggplant!" She grinned as she approached Kakashi's desk.

"Oh, thank you, Sakura! You didn't have to go through all this trouble."

"It wasn't any trouble at all." She smirked. One of the villagers had brought the soup by this afternoon, but Kakashi didn't need to know that. "I wanted to thank you, for everything." She walked around his desk, sitting herself on top of it. "Here." Sakura handed him his dinner, and ruffled through the bag for hers, revealing a bowl of anmitsu.

Kakashi's brow arched, "dessert for dinner?"

A childish grin spread across her face, "any time is a good time for dessert, Kakashi."

He made a sound as if he were disgusted, which earned a playful smack on the arm from Sakura. Kakashi didn't like sweets, but she didn't mind, it just meant more for her.

She took a bite, closing her eyes with a smile. A momentary feeling of bliss washed over her.

Kakashi laughed at her reaction as he raised the miso to his lips. Sakura stared from the corner of her eye, trying not to be obvious. _'Will I finally see his face?'_ Her heart started racing.

His finger gripped the top of his mask, pulling it slightly. She could practically hear her heart pounding.

"You really think I'm going to slip up after all these years?"

Sakura sweatdropped. "One of these days," she mumbled.

Hopping off his desk, she walked up to the window, gazing down at the village. A few moments of silence passed. Only the sounds of Kakashi's quiet slurping could be heard. She let out a soft sigh, "you know, I've been thinking about the children of this village. They're all so innocent, like we once were." Kakashi rose to stand by her side, watching a group of kids run down the street. "When Naruto was struggling with who he was and why the village shunned him, or when Sasuke lost his entire family, who did they have to talk to? They were alone in their misery for years, but I've started to wonder, what if they had someone to talk to back them? Someone to help them through it? Could it have helped lessen the burdens they were carrying at such a young age? Would Sasuke maybe never have turned to darkness and revenge?" Sakura could feel Kakashi's eyes on her as she continued on, "As much as we try to prevent it, some of these children are going to face similar tragedies in their life, but maybe we could do something to where they don't have to face those tragedies alone. What if we had a center for children's mental health? A place where they can come and express what their feeling freely, so we can help them understand and cope with those feelings?"

Wordlessly, Kakashi walked back to his desk, flipping through the mound of papers. Sakura peered over his shoulder, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Ahh," lifting his schedule, he ruffled through the pages, "is two weeks enough time for you to create a proposal?"

Sakura blinked rapidly, "what?"

"I have a meeting with the Council in two weeks and I want you to propose this to them, so we can get this idea of yours funded and actually make it happen. I'd approve funding for it myself, but I have a feeling if I set aside some funding for this, they'd think I was just doing a favor for my old student." Kakashi put his hand to his chin, deep in thought, "but, if they listened to your proposal there's no way they could turn it down."

Sakura was dumbfounded, "you really think I could get funding?"

"Of course. I'll personally see to it that you do."

A faint blush rose to Sakura's cheeks. She didn't know why she was so shocked at Kakashi's reaction. He had always believed in her, offering his unwavering support. He was her constant.

She now had an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of those most precious to the village, and she knew Kakashi would do everything in his power to make it happen.

She threw her arms around him, "thank you!"

His body tensed at first, but she felt the tension melt away as he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't thank me yet," he laughed softly, "just make sure you have that proposal ready." His eye crinkled in a smile.

Sakura beamed up at him, "I won't let you down!"

He replied honestly, "I don't think you ever could."

* * *

"Congratulations to Sakura and Ino!" Naruto raised his glass of sake.

The rookie nine, with Sai in Sasuke's place, all raised their glasses, toasting happily to Sakura and Ino.

Sakura's proposal for a children's center in the hospital had been approved for a six-month trial period and if everything went well, she'd receive full funding to build a small wing onto the hospital, solely dedicated to the children.

"Thank you everyone!" Sakura turned her glass to Ino, "and a special thank you to Ino, for all her help over the past two weeks. I couldn't have done it without you!"

They cheered joyously, taking another drink of sake.

She stared at the smiling faces of her friends, it had been awhile since they were all in the village at the same time. They drank and ate, listening to each other's stories about their missions and travels. Sakura listened intently, grateful to be celebrating with them all.

"Lord Hokage, Lady Tsunade!"

Sakura, who was sitting at the end of the table, turned to see Kakashi and Tsunade standing behind her. Tsunade's arms were crossed in front of her, a proud smile on her face. "Waiter, let's get another round!" The group cheered loudly in response, welcoming their new guests.

Kakashi and Tsunade took a seat on either side of Sakura.

"I couldn't be prouder," Tsunade wrapped her arm around Sakura's shoulders, "and you've given me the perfect reason to drink!"

"You drink whether you have an excuse or not." Sakura teased, causing Kakashi to chuckle.

Tsunade glared at Kakashi, opening her mouth with a rebuttal, but she was cut off by the waitress bringing another round.

Ino held her glass up high, "to Sakura!"

"To Sakura!" Their cheers rang throughout the restaurant.

* * *

A little over an hour passed, as Kakashi sat to the right of Sakura, listening to her and Ino talk excitedly about the next steps for the clinic. Tsunade had sauntered off to the bar to find a stiffer drink, while the others had wandered off for the night, leaving just him and Sai with the two chatting girls.

"It's unusual for you to stick around so long, Kakashi." Sai commented quietly.

"Well, it is a big day for Sakura. I'm just here to show my support."

"Hmm, in this book I'm reading, it mentions that when a man does things for a woman that he normally wouldn't do, it's often a sign that he feels romantic feelings towards that woman."

Kakashi's jaw nearly hit the floor.

His eyes darted to Sakura, feeling relieved when he noticed she was still talking away with Ino, completely unaware of his conversation with Sai.

" _Oftentimes,_ Sai. Not _all_ the time." Kakashi whispered in a panicked tone.

Sai smiled back, unfazed. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Sakura and Ino giggled, looking over at Sai.

 _'Shit, they heard the whole thing!'_ Kakashi's heart began to race.

"Oh, Saaaiii." Sakura called out, a mischievous grin on her face. "Why don't you take Ino out for some dessert?"

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief.

 _Thud!_

Ino kicked Sakura under the table, but it hardly seemed to faze her, "just the two of you."

"Oh, would you like to grab some ice cream, Ino?" Sai asked, completely oblivious to what was going on.

Ino's face turned beet red, "S-Sure." She managed to stammer.

Ino shot Sakura a passing glare as her and Sai left the restaurant, but Sakura's smile never faded.

She sighed and rested her head on Kakashi's shoulder, "she'll thank me later."

Kakashi glanced down at Sakura. Her eyes were closed, with her lips turned up in a small smile. The alcohol had caused a flush of pink to reach her cheeks, and he couldn't help but admire how angelic she looked.

 _'Like a goddess.'_ He thought to himself.

She lifted her head and started to rise, "shall we get going?" She stumbled slightly, but Kakashi reached out quickly and caught her. Her back was firm against his chest. The faint scent of cherry blossoms reached his nose.

Sakura giggled and looked up at Kakashi, "always catching me when I fall."

Her face was inches from his and he had a sudden urge to place his lips on hers, but that thought was interrupted by someone clearing their throat, rather loudly.

They both spun to see Tsunade, eyeing them suspiciously.

Sakura, who was rather intoxicated, chuckled, "I think I had one too many. Thankfully Kakashi was here to catch me."

Tsunade's glare softened, "enjoy your night, Sakura. Get her home safely." And with that she was gone, most likely to drink some more.

Kakashi paid their bill, and they made their way through the village. Her arm was wrapped tightly around his, as they walked in a comfortable silence, enjoying the beautiful night. To the passing eye, they looked like a happy couple who had just enjoyed a night out on the town.

"Thank you for walking me home." Sakura said as they approached her apartment.

"Of course."

Sakura started to open her door, but paused and turned to face Kakashi, "hey, can I ask you something?" Her arms were crossed behind her.

Kakashi took a step closer to her, "what is it?"

His body towered over hers, as she looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, and he silently pondered how her eyes could display so much emotion all at once.

"Just, umm." She paused, suddenly becoming nervous, "thank you, for always being there."

Before he could joke with her about that not being a question, she leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

His heart fluttered. So many thoughts raced through his mind as he imagined pushing her against the door and kissing her passionately.

 _'She's intoxicated.'_ The thought kept coming to his mind, and he knew he couldn't.

"Good night, Kakashi."

Sakura walked into her apartment, leaving Kakashi alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Sakura held an apple up to her face, rolling it over in her hands as she looked for any imperfections.

Five months had passed since her clinic opened and things had been going wonderfully. In a month, she would report the results to the council and get approval for full funding. She was also going to appoint Ino as the Co-Director, since she had been such a tremendous help throughout the entire process.

On the personal side of things, her and Kakashi had grown quite close, and a strong bond between them had blossomed. While most of her time was dedicated to getting the clinic up and running, they had set aside a few hours every week to spend with each other. Their time together ranged from dinner, sparring matches and reading quietly. Kakashi would also stop by her office occasionally, bringing her dinner since he knew she'd probably forgotten to eat.

She cherished those moments dearly.

Satisfied with the apple in her hand, she set it in her basket and grabbed another. Just as she started to inspect the new one, she noticed a familiar figure.

"Sa-Sasuke?" The apple dropped from her hand.

"Sakura."


	7. Chapter 7 - Patience and Understanding

"Sa-Sasuke?" The apple dropped from her hand.

The man walking towards her was taller and his hair was considerably longer, but it was definitely him. Sasuke's chakra signature would be ingrained in her memory forever.

"Sakura." He acknowledged her as he walked by, not even stopping to ask how she had been.

A sudden anger boiled inside her. ' _How dare he?!'_

She reached down to pick up the apple and chucked it, _hard,_ at the back of his head.

He spun around, katana in hand, slicing the apple in two. Each half soared past opposite sides of his face.

"That's it?! I haven't heard from you in nearly two years and that's _all_ you have to say to me!"

He stood there, stone-faced, which only increased her anger.

 _Cha!_

Sakura screamed as she tried to punch the ground in frustration, but his hand caught hers. She looked up, surprised. He was fast. Sakura didn't even see him move, and within a blink of an eye, he had thrown her over his shoulder, carrying her towards the outskirts of the village.

"Put me down!" She flailed her arms.

"You're making a scene." He replied coolly.

"I wouldn't make a scene if you weren't so infuriating!" She growled.

Once they reached the outside of the village, he let her go.

 _Crack!_

Sakura landed a right hook, completely catching him off guard. She knew he would have never expected that from her. Naruto and Sai were always the ones on the receiving end of her wrath, not Sasuke.

His guard was up now, and she knew that was probably the last and only hit she'd get in. Sakura stood there, fists clenched at her sides, glaring down Sasuke.

"It's been almost two years, Sasuke. You couldn't write, not even _once_?!"

"It's not like you wrote to me." He sounded annoyed.

"It's always _me_ that reaches out to _you_! Why can't you show that you care for once? Do you even care! I've fought for you for so long. Defended you, tooth and nail, to anyone who dared speak against you, even after you tried to kill me! And this is what I get in return?" Hot tears stung her eyes.

"You know why I've been gone."

"That's not the point!" Sakura put her hand over her face, letting out a sigh of frustration. "I'm asking you what I am to you. I wouldn't even know if you were alive or dead, if it wasn't for the letters you wrote to Kakashi and Naruto! Do you know how much it hurts to wonder every day if I mean anything to you at all?" Her voice cracked.

Sasuke didn't respond.

"I have felt so alone, for so long." The tears that had been welling up in her eyes fell freely. "I was finally getting to a place of happiness, on my own. And then you show up, reminding me of feelings I have been working so hard to forget." She paused, trying to regain her composure. "What made you come back?" A small part of her hoping he had come back for her.

"I need to speak with Kakashi."

She felt her heart break into tiny pieces all over again. Why had she hoped for a different answer?

"Are you going to stay?" She didn't know why she asked, she already knew the answer.

He shook his head, confirming what she already knew.

"Then leave." She spat.

"Sakura- " He seemed genuinely surprised.

"No, don't say anything. I don't want to hear it." She turned her back to him, "I'm done being the girl who's always chasing after you. For once, you'll be the one watching me walk away."

She didn't look back as she left and he didn't call out to her. She could feel his gaze, but he didn't try to stop her from walking away.

Finally out of his view, she let her shoulders slouch. ' _What did I just do?! Did I overreact?'_ She held her hands in front of her chest as she walked back into the village. She shook her head, mentally scolding herself. _'Of course not! Just remember how miserable you've been all these years!'_

Not wanting to speak with anyone, she took to the rooftops, heading towards Tsunade's favorite bar. She was in desperate need of a drink. Sakura swung the door open, spotting the blonde sitting at the bar, sake in hand.

Pulling up a seat beside her, Sakura ordered a drink.

Tsunade smirked into her cup of sake, "rough day?"

"Something like that." Sakura grumbled, her head resting against her fist.

"What happened? You've seemed so happy lately."

Sakura downed her drink in one swift move, motioning to the bartender for another. "Sasuke's back."

Tsunade's head snapped in Sakura's direction, her face full of confusion and concern. "I thought you'd be happy he's back."

"He didn't come for me. And he's not staying."

"I see."

The bartender brought Sakura's drink, and Tsunade motioned for him to bring two more. Picking up her drink, Sakura gulped down her second drink, enjoying the burn as it went down. They sat quietly, for a few minutes as they knocked back a few more drinks.

Feeling the liquid courage take over, Sakura turned to Tsunade, "how do I get guys to notice me?"

"Breasts." Tsunade laughed at her own joke, as the guy next to them nearly choked on his drink.

Sakura looked down at her chest with a frown. She wasn't completely flat chested but they were nothing in comparison to her former Master.

"Sakura," Tsunade caught her attention, "you have nothing to worry about. For so many years you've only thought of Sasuke that you unconsciously shut out any other romantic interests. You're kind-hearted, compassionate, feisty and breath-takingly beautiful. Any guy would kill to have you, you just need to open yourself up to others."

Sakura's eyes turned to the mirror behind the bar, eyeing her appearance suspiciously. Was she really as beautiful as Lady Tsunade said?

Not noticing Sakura's reaction, Tsunade gazed wistfully at nothing in particular, "you need to find someone you'd go to the ends of the Earth for, knowing they'd do the same for you. You deserve a man who believes in your dreams and helps you pursue them. He should know your flaws and love you more because of them. He should have patience and understanding…" Tsunade trailed off as if she were recalling old times. "But most of all, you should be with someone who makes you happy. The life of a shinobi can be painfully short, so why live those days less happy than you should be?"

Sakura turned her eyes to her lap, letting the former Hokage's words sink in. Did such a man even exist? Would she ever find someone like that?

Tsunade eyed her carefully, "A woman like you will have no trouble finding someone like that." Sakura looked up at her surprised. It was almost as if Tsunade had read her mind. "You may have already met this man and you just haven't realized it yet, because you had cut yourself off from the possibility of finding someone else." She placed a loving hand on Sakura's shoulder, "just be patient."

Sakura smiled softly, "thank you."

Sakura and Tsunade talked a little while longer, mainly about the children's center and all the new developments in the village before Sakura decided it was time for her to head home. She was definitely drunk, but not nearly as drunk as the night they celebrated the approval of the clinic.

As she stepped outside, the cool night air brushed against her flushed skin. It was some time after midnight and she silently wondered if Sasuke had already left the village.

 _'No.'_ She shook her head. It didn't matter. Wondering about him would only make her sad and Tsunade was right, why be less happy then she should be? She needed to open her heart to the possibility of finding love with someone other than Sasuke. Sakura knew she'd never truly be happy with Sasuke, he couldn't give her the love and compassion she yearned for. That just wasn't who Sasuke was.

Finally reaching her apartment, she stumbled through the front door, removing her shoes.

 _Clink!_

Sakura froze in her tracks. Someone was in her kitchen.

 _'Shit!'_ In her drunken state, she had completely failed to realize the kitchen light was on. She couldn't even sense the presence of someone else's chakra. Instinctively, she drew her kunai, walking hesitantly towards the kitchen. Peering around the corner, she spotted the intruder.

"Kakashi?"

"Ah, Sakura." His back was facing her.

Sakura walked towards the counter, sniffing the air, _'is he cooking?'_

"What are you doing here?" She was genuinely puzzled. Over the past few months, it wasn't unlike him to pop up unexpectedly, but she was always at home or at work when he did stop by. He certainly had never cooked in her apartment before.

"I," he hesitated, trying to carefully choose his words, "had a feeling you'd be drinking tonight. I made some rice, to help soak up the alcohol." He kept his back towards her as he reached for some bowls.

Sakura's jaw dropped, "but, how did you know?"

He turned, a concerned eye connected with hers. Kakashi didn't need to speak, she already knew the answer: _'Sasuke.'_

* * *

 _*2 months earlier*_

Kakashi sat quietly underneath a tree, on the outskirts of the village. His favorite book was in his hands, as he excitedly scanned the pages. It wasn't often he got to sneak away in the middle of the day, but even the Hokage deserved a little break now and again.

A soft touch on his shoulder pulled him from his book. "Hmm?" He said quietly as he turned his head.

The soft touch had been Sakura's head, which now rested gently on his shoulder. He listened to her quiet and even breathing. She had fallen asleep. A soft smile reached Kakashi's lips.

He didn't know exactly when it had happened, but his feelings for her had grown beyond friendship. She was no longer a helpless girl, infatuated with silly things. She was a beautiful woman, with ambitions and dreams far greater and more admirable than his own. Her presence brought him a happiness he hadn't felt in a long time, and he looked forward to every second with her.

Did she even feel the same way?

Kakashi's heart grew heavy. She was a woman pure of heart, and he was a man burdened with a dark past. She deserved a man who could give her everything she desired, and he wasn't sure he was that man. Could he be? He had never been in a relationship, and always distanced himself from the thought. He always believed he was a man undeserving of a woman's love, and lived his life dedicated solely to the village.

On top of that, he was her former teacher. What would the village think? Would they look down on them? Would they think his love for her was the reason she received funding for the children's center? Would they start to think less of her hard-earned accomplishments, believing that he handed them to her? He couldn't let her accomplishments be tainted by thoughts such as those.

"Sakura?" He shook his shoulder gently to wake her. He knew he needed to head back to the office soon.

"Mmm?" She sleepily looked up at him, batting her eyes.

 _'How can someone be this damn beautiful?'_

* * *

 _*Present day*_

Sakura kept her eyes locked on Kakashi, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest. He understood and knew her so well.

Memories started racing through her mind, as she saw everything so clearly. Over and over again, it was Kakashi saving her life. He had always protected her, and he trusted her with his life.

' _Find someone who you'd go to the ends of the Earth for, knowing they'd do the same for you.'_

He was the one who believed in her. He was the one who listened to her dreams and pushed them to become a reality.

 _'You need a man who believes in your dreams and helps you pursue them.'_

No matter how many mistakes she made, or how seemingly useless she was in the beginning, he always understood her. He always saw the potential in her. His support for her was unwavering.

 _'He should have patience and understanding.'_

Tsunade's words came crashing down on her all at once.

"It's you." Sakura breathlessly whispered.

"Sakura?" Kakashi approached her. His body was inches from hers.

Reaching a shaky hand towards his face, her fingers grazed the top of his mask as she leaned her body closer towards him.

His hand quickly grabbed her wrist, understanding her intentions, "Sakura."

Her eyes silently pleaded with him.

He shook his head, "Sakura, I can't."

Sakura felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. How could she be so foolish? Of course he wouldn't feel that way about her, he had been her sensei. Angry tears pricked her eyes as she pushed her way past Kakashi, but she didn't make it far.

Suddenly she felt a strong hand on her arm, as Kakashi spun her around. In one swift motion, his body pinned hers to the wall, and before she could blink, his lips crashed down on hers. A sense of passion and longing behind his kiss.

Sakura didn't hesitate. In that moment, she was his. Her hands tangled in Kakashi's hair, her lips furiously moving against his as she pressed her body against his.

He suddenly broke away, panting heavily, and for the first time, she saw his unmasked face. She gasped slightly, her heart melting at the sight of his dimples. He was undoubtedly handsome. Unconsciously, her hand raised to touch her face, running her hand across his cheek.

A small frown crossed his face, as her fingers reached his lips. "Sakura," he paused, "are you sure this is what you want?"

She nodded silently, lips swollen from his kiss.

"But, what about the village? What would they think?"

A sudden anger took over, "I have fought and dedicated my life to this village. For once in my life, I want to- "

His lips cut her off. The anger that had risen inside her turned into a hunger she had never felt before. She pressed her body into Kakashi's as he lifted her up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. She let out a small moan as Kakashi nibbled her ear, "you're mine."


	8. Chapter 8 - The Light

Sakura awoke the next morning with a satisfied smile on her face. Memories of tangled sheets and tousled hair ran through her mind. She turned to face the man who had brought her those wonderful memories, but she was greeted with an empty bed.

"Kakashi?" She called out.

Silence.

Reaching for her robe, she got up and walked towards her living room. "Kakashi?" She called again, but he was gone.

Sakura felt her heart sink. _'Was last night just a mistake to him?'_

 _'No'_. She saw the way he looked at her, she felt the way his hands caressed her. There was no way it was just a mistake.

Sakura tried to reassure herself as she got ready for work, but she couldn't stop that small feeling of fear rising within her. She had given herself to him, and he had left without saying a word.

* * *

The next week seemed to drag on. Every night she returned home, she hoped to see Kakashi there, but each time she was let down. Sakura hadn't heard from him, not even on the day they normally set aside time for each other. She tried to distract herself with work, but it wasn't helping. Her thoughts just kept returning to him.

"Sakura?" She heard someone call her name. "Sakura, what's wrong?" Blue eyes met hers.

"Huh? Oh, Ino." Sakura wondered how long Ino had been standing there, "nothing's wrong." Sakura offered her a fake smile.

Ino placed her hand on her hip, "that's a damn lie."

Sakura fidgeted under Ino's glare. She couldn't tell her the truth about Kakashi, when she herself didn't even know what was happening between them. Making matters worse, Sakura knew she was a terrible liar, but maybe she could get by with a half-truth.

"Sasuke was here." Ino gasped, raising her hands to her mouth as she waited for Sakura to continue. "He didn't return for me. Probably wouldn't have even stopped to say hello if I hadn't accidentally run into him."

"Oh, Sakura." Ino rushed to her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry! No wonder you haven't seemed like yourself."

Sakura hugged her back, not realizing how much she needed it.

"Come on, let's get some drinks. You need a night out!"

"Already? It's only-." Sakura looked up at the clock, realizing her shift had already ended. How long had she been lost in her thoughts? Regardless, she still wasn't feeling up to going out. "I don't know Ino, I might just go home and relax."

Ino crossed her arms, "I'm not taking no for an answer."

They glared at each other for a few moments before Sakura sighed, "fine, but just one drink."

Ino squealed in excitement. "But first we need to change out of these clothes!"

* * *

Sakura looked in the mirror, "don't you think it's a little much?"

She was wearing a tight, bare shoulder black dress that reached her mid-thigh. The very top of the dress was made of a lacy material that exposed a fair amount of cleavage and wrapped around her upper arms. It was definitely risqué, and she wouldn't normally go out wearing something like that.

"Nope. Put these on!" Ino, who was wearing a skin tight red dress and black heels, excitedly handed her a pair of red heels.

Sakura frowned at the heels, "I thought we were just getting one drink?"

"Might as well look good while we have a drink." Ino winked.

Sakura rolled her eyes, realizing it was going to turn into a long night filled with drinks. _'I guess this should be better than sitting at home alone.'_ Her concerns about her outfit had taken her mind off Kakashi, at least momentarily.

"Come on! Let's go!" She grabbed Sakura's hand, dragging her from her apartment.

"Damnit, Ino! It's cold!" Sakura instantly started shivering from the cool fall air.

"Stop complaining. It's totally worth it." Sakura shot an angry glare at her, "we look amazing."

"Surprised to hear that coming from you, Ino Pig." Sakura's glare turned into a smirk.

"Just trying to make you feel better, billboard brow."

The two kunoichi burst into laughter.

"We were so childish." Sakura giggled as she opened the bar door.

Realizing the bar had suddenly gone quiet, Sakura turned her head to see that everyone was staring at them. She heard someone whisper in the distance, "is that Ms. Haruno?"

"This was a bad idea." Sakura said under her breath to Ino. She did not like all the attention.

"Head high, shoulders back. And don't forget to smile." Ino whispered to her, as confidently strutted to the bar. Sakura followed in her footsteps.

A curious few kept their eyes on the two as they took a seat at the bar, but for the most part, the rest of the bar patrons went back to their own conversations.

"Compliments of the gentleman at the end of the bar." The bartender sat two drinks in front of them.

Peering at the end of the bar, they spotted Genma. His trademark senbon moved with his lips as they formed a smirk. They waved their thanks to him, "already attracting men, and quite an attractive one at that." Ino winked at Sakura, but she didn't respond. Her eyes were locked on the dark grey eyes staring back at her.

In the booth, directly behind Genma, sat Kakashi and Guy. The former was excitedly talking, but Kakashi ignored him. His eyes remained firmly on her.

She hadn't heard from him in a week and here he was, enjoying a drink. _'The nerve of that man!'_

Sakura felt her blood boil as she stood abruptly. Clenching her fists, she took a step in Kakashi's direction. She saw nobody but him and was ready to give him a piece of her mind.

"Sakura?" Ino called out her name, causing her to suddenly remember that she was in a very public place.

 _'Damnit!'_ She couldn't cause a scene.

Sakura broke Kakashi's stare and looked to Genma, as an idea popped into her head. Smirking, she grabbed her drink and turned to Ino, "I'm going to give Genma a proper thank you."

Ino's jaw dropped, watching Sakura approach him. Her hips swaying with every step. She could feel Kakashi's gaze, but she refused to acknowledge him. Sakura was going to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Gracefully, she pulled up a seat beside Genma, close enough that her thigh lightly brushed his. Genma's eyes wandered to her lap, taking in her toned thighs.

"Sakura, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He played with his senbon, an amused smirk on his face.

"Just wanted to thank you for the drink." She smirked back, twirling her hair around her finger.

Genma's eyes greedily looked her up and down.

Sakura didn't fidget under his gaze. She could feel the agitated chakra emanating from behind her, confirming that she had gotten the reaction she wanted.

"So, what's the occasion?"

"No occasion, just going out for drinks with my girl." Sakura nodded her head towards Ino, as Genma and her turned to meet her blue eyes. Ino suddenly realized she had been caught staring and tried to nonchalantly sip on her drink, looking anywhere but at them.

"Well I'm sure as hell glad you two picked this bar." Genma wrapped his arm around the back of her chair, signaling to the other prying eyes that she was his tonight.

"Oh, really?" Sakura leaned in closer to him, "and why is that?" She batted her eyes, innocently. Their faces were inches apart.

"You must not know how many men would kill to be sitting here with you, the legendary pink-haired kunoichi of the Leaf." His hand reached up to play with a strand of her hair, completely oblivious to the murderous chakra growing behind him.

"Excuse me." Kakashi suddenly appeared behind Genma. "I need to speak with Sakura."

Genma shot him an irritated look, "Lord Hokage, can it wait until tomorrow?" Kakashi simply glared down at him, reminding Genma of who he was talking to.

Sighing in defeat he turned back to Sakura, "I hope we can continue our conversation later." She offered him a smile as he walked away.

"Outside. Now." Kakashi practically growled at her, nodding his head towards the back door of the bar.

Sakura turned to see if Ino had noticed, but she was now tucked away at a table in the back, completely enthralled in her conversation with Sai.

"What has gotten into you?" Kakashi immediately questioned her as they stepped into the alleyway.

"What's gotten into me? What's gotten into _you?!"_ She shot back, her eyes watering slightly as she glared up at him.

Sakura felt his anger subside. "Sakura…" He cast his eyes to the ground.

"I gave myself to you that night, and you... You just left me there." He kept his eyes to the ground. "Was I just a mistake to you?" She asked him, angrily.

"Sakura," his hands shot out quickly, grasping her upper arms. His thumbs rubbed the lacey fabric holding up her dress, "how could you ever think that?" A pained expression crossed his face.

"What else was I supposed to think?" Her eyes begged for answers.

Kakashi sighed, "it's not that simple. What do you think the villagers and the council would think?"

"Since when do you care about what others think?" She became increasingly irritated.

"Not me. _You._ I care what they think about you, Sakura. You've worked so hard for your accomplishments. If we became involved, rumors would spread. They would question if your relationship to the Hokage played a hand in your accomplishments, or if it was the reason you received funding for the children's center." She felt her chest tighten, as his words sunk in. "I can't let your hard-earned accomplishments be tainted."

"I don't care about the rumors and village gossip! Those who matter know my accomplishments are my own. I just want to be happy."

Kakashi's shoulders slumped, "what if I can't give you that?"

Sakura took a step away from him, her eyes turning into a suspicious glare, "what do you mean?"

He reached his hand out towards her, before letting it fall to his side. "I'm a broken man with a dark past, Sakura. I can't burden you with that. You are too..."

"I'm too what?" She spat the words at him.

"Perfect."

"What?" She asked him, incredulously. "You can't be serious. You know better than anyone else that I'm nowhere near perfect."

"Everyone has flaws Sakura, but look at everything you've gone through. Nearly getting killed by the man you loved, watching your teammate and best friend nearly die on more than one occasion, fighting through a war as you desperately tried to save everyone, and nearly giving your own life to protect the village. Despite the tears I watched you shed and the pain and suffering you went through, there was always hope in your eyes and a smile on your face, and now you've managed to find a way to help those most important to this village; the children." He paused, "there's a light in you that I can't bear to see dimmed by the likes of someone like me."

Tears fell freely from her eyes, "by the likes of someone like _you_? Kakashi, that light was dimmed a long time ago. It wasn't until that night on the bench that I started to actually feel something again." Her voice cracked, "over these past few months you've managed to make me feel things I never thought I would, and now you're just going to walk away?" She took a step closer, "I know I made you feel something too. I see the way you look at me when you think I'm not looking. I'm not a fool, Kakashi. Why not let yourself be happy, for once?"

She gazed up at him, unable to read the expression in his eyes. Slowly, Sakura closed the distance between them, lifting her hand to pull down his mask. This time he didn't stop her. Her fingers grazed the scar on his cheek before stopping at the small beauty mark near his chin. He kept his eyes fixated on her, watching her every movement. "That night, you said I was yours." Sakura pressed her body against his as she leaned up to whisper in his ear, "so show me what it means to be yours."

Her words seemed to awaken something within Kakashi as he suddenly engulfed her in his arms, kissing her passionately. She relished in the warmth of his embrace, as his hands roamed her body. Breaking from their kiss, his lips trailed down her neck, causing Sakura to let out a soft moan.

Panting, Kakashi placed his forehead against hers, as he held her tight in his arms, "I never want to let you go."

Reaching up with a smile, Sakura clasped her arms around his neck, "so don't."


End file.
